Railway signal torpedo



July 16, 1929. SCHOOLEY I 1,720,924

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO Filed May 15, 1928 [men/for: [0144/60 4. 50v004 3 Patented July 16, 1929.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFIE.

EDWARD A. SCHOOLEY, F DORIVIONT, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

Application filed May 15, 1928. Serial No. 277,840.

This invention relates to railway torpedoes same size as the rectangular center so that used on railways as audible signals and more they overlie the entire rectangular center and particularly to torpedoes embodying an exone flap completely overlaps the other. plosive charge, an enveloping casing of In the preferred form of my invention the 5 fibrous material and a ductile metal strip for flap 6 is provided with a rectangular slot 8 detachably securing the torpedoes to the rails to receive a strap of ductile metal 10, which 60 of a railway track. is used to detachably hold the completed tor- The principal object of this invention is to pedo in position on the rail of a railway. provide a novel form of enveloping casing The strap of metal 10 is adapted to be looped 10 composed of fibrous material, such as heavy or bent upon itself in substantially U-shape paper, said casing being so formed that the and to have its end projected through the slot 5 torpedo may be readily and quickly assem- 8 and a locking member or sheet of fiber 12 is bled by unskilled workmen and thus reduce adapted to be inserted through the loop so as the cost of production. to overlie the flap 6 and to bridge the major 15 Another object is to provide a novel manportion of the slot 8 and thus lock the strap ner of mounting the ductile metal retaining 10 in position. The locking member or sheet 70 strip in the torpedo. 12 is of substantially H-shape in plan and its A further object is to provide a torpedo legs or projecting portions 14: are adapted to having the novel construction, design and project outwardly on each side of the strap combination of parts hereinafter described Of metal 10 and its connecting portion 15 is and illustrated in the accompanying drawadapted to bridge the slot 8. 7 h1g3 If desired, the slot 8 may be omitted from In the drawings: the flap 6 and a separate strap-carrying mem Figure 1 is a plan of a torpedo constructed ber 6 shown in Figure 7 may be used. The

in accordance with this invention. strap-carrying member 6 is provided with a Figure 2 is a plan of the torpedo case before slot 8 to receive the strap 12, which is shown 00 it is assembled and showing the attaching locked in position by the modified locking strap and explosive tablet in position. member or sheet 12 of Figure 5, which is Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line provided with legs 14: and a bridging or con- III-III of Figure 2. necting portion 15.

Figure 4 is a plan of the strap-locking The strap-carrying member 6 may be member. mounted over the flaps 4 and 5 and under the Figures 5 and 6 are modified forms of the flaps 6 and 7, or may be mounted under the locking member. flaps 4 and 5 if desired.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a strap-carrying It will also be understood that when the member separate from the main casing, the strap-carrying member 6 is used, the flaps 6 attaching strap shown locked in this carrying and 7 may be no more than half the width of member by the locking member of Figure 5. the rectangular center 2, like the flaps 4n and Referring more particularly to the draw- 5, if desired.

40 ings which illustrate my invention, the letter The strap-locking member of Figure 5 has A'designates the enclosing fiber casing of the its side edges adapted to parallel the longitutorpedo as a whole, which is formed from a dinal edges of the strap-receiving slot curved fiat piece of heavy paper or fiber board, cut in so as to facilitate the mounting of the member the form of a Maltese cross. The rectangular under the strap 10.

45 or square center 2 of the casing is depressed In Figure 6 I h( ve shown a strap-locking to form a concave depression 2 in the casing member having the same structural outline as blank to receive a preformed explosive tablet the member of Figure 5, except that its curved 3, and the arms of the cross form flaps 4E, 5, 6 side edges are curved on a slightly shorter and 7 adapted to be folded over the explosive radius. The same reference numerals are 50 tablet 3 to close the casing. The flaps 4 and 5 used to designate the parts of this locking are no more than half the width of the recmember as are used to designate the parts of tangular center so that when they are folded the construction shown in Figure 5, except over the explosive tablet they do not overlap, that they are primed by the letter I). while the flaps 6 and 7 are of substantially the In the formation of the torpedoes of this invention a coating of water-proof cement is applied to the concave depression 2 prior to the insertion of the explosive tablet 3, and then a coating of the same cement is applied to the tablet 3 and surrounding portions of the center 2 of the casing, to secure the flaps l and 5 in position when they are folded over the explosive tablet. After the flaps 4 and 5 are folded into position they will also be coat ed with cement and the flap 6 will be folded over in position. A layer or coating of cement will then be applied over the flap 6 and the flap 7 will be folded over and secured.

After the casing has been firmly cemented together, the assembled torpedo is then placed in a suitable mold or die and pressed to finally compact the whole structure and complete the shaping thereof. After the torpedo has been pressed to final shape it is coated with a suitable water-proofing compound such as varnish, shellac or the like, and then, if desired, before such coating is dry, one or more sides of the torpedo may be sended and the sand will adhere to the sticky coating. thus forming an abrasive surface.

lVhile I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto since other modifications may be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A fiber case railway torpedo compris- .ing an enclosing case made in the form of a Maltese cross and having its rectangular center depressed to form a concave depression for holding the explosive tablet, the arms of said cross forming flaps for closing over the explosive, at least one of said flaps being of the same size as said rectangular center and being provided with a centrally arranged elongated rectangular opening, a ductile metat strap adapted to be bent upon itself to form a loop and the closed end of said loop being inserted through said openings, and a sub stantially H-shaped fiber-locking sheet mounted through said looped strap with its connecting portion bridging said opening and its legs overlying said flap.

2. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an enclosing case made in the form of a Maltese cross and having its rectangular center depressed to form a concave depression for holding the explosive tablet, the arms of said cross forming flaps for closing over the explosive, two of said flaps having a length approximately half the width of said rectangular center portion so as to meet at the center lines of said cross when folded back over the explosive, the other two flaps being of a size substantially the same as said rectangular center portion, a preformed explosive tablet mounted in said depression, said first named two flaps being adapted to be folded back over said tablet, and said other two flaps being adapted to be folded back one over said first two flaps and the other over all of said flaps, said one of said second named two flaps directly overlying said first two flaps being provided with a centrally arranged elongated rectangular opening, a ductile metal strap adapted to be bent upon itself to form a loop and the closed end of said loop being inserted through said opening and a substantially H-shaped fiber-locking sheet mounted through said looped strap with its connecting portion bridging said opening and its legs overlyingsaid flap.

3. In a fiber case railway torpedo, a substantially rectangular casing element adapted to have a ductile metal attaching strap secured thereto, said element having a centrally arranged elongated rectangular opening, said ductile metal strap being adapted to be bent upon itself to form a loop and the closed end of said loop being inserted through said opening, and a substantially H-shaped fiber-locking sheet mounted through said looped strap with its connecting portion bridging said opening and its legs overlying said element.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWVARD AI SCHOOLEY. 

